Public Safety

A drug awareness presentation will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Duane Smith Auditorium.
The presentation, which is free and open to the public, is designed to raise awareness of illicit drugs and drug abuse within the community.
Los Alamos Police Chief Dino Sgambellone will moderate the presentation which will include additional speakers from the community.

Last week, Los Alamos police chief Dino Sgambellone released crime statistics through the third quarter of 2014 which were compiled by the Records Division of the Los Alamos Police Department.
Offenses reported as crime statistics are determined by the FBI Uniform Crime Report Program and are classified as crimes against persons (violent crime) and crimes against property (property crime). Both of these categories are referred to as Part I offenses or crimes.
Violent crime is comprised of murder (homicide), rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Property crime is comprised of arson, burglary, larceny, and auto theft.
During the first nine months of 2014, officers responded to a total of 166 Part I Offense complaints, which represents a 10 percent increase as compared to 151 offenses during the same period in 2013.
The violent crime decreased from 36 offenses in 2013 to 34 offenses in 2014, a 6 percent decrease. Property crime increased 15 percent, from 115 in 2013 to 132 in 2014.
Sgambellone said the increases in property crime continue to be attributable to vehicles and homes that are left unsecured.

Unfortunately, living high atop a mesa doesn’t isolate Los Alamos from the current Ebola virus crisis, especially when the town you live in is home to a national laboratory, with people coming and going from all regions of the country and from all over the world 24 hours a day.
However, don’t go shopping for a hazmat suit and a barbed wire fence just yet.
Health and safety experts in Los Alamos, as well as the state say people should be vigilant and aware, but don’t go into panic mode. The odds are more in favor of you getting this season’s flu than Ebola.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a federal agency tasked with monitoring and preventing outbreaks of deadly diseases on the domestic front, as well as the international front, there are specific preconditions involved in spreading the disease. The first victim in the infection chain has to come in contact with an infected animal. From human to human, a person has to come in direct contact with bodily fluids from another human to become infected. Bodily fluids include blood, semen, mucus, sweat, feces, vomit and breast milk.

Governor Susana Martinez has directed the New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) to coordinate the state’s Ebola preparedness plan to be ready in the unlikely event there is an Ebola case diagnosed in New Mexico. DOH will coordinate the state’s Ebola preparedness plan between state agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM), as well as local governments, hospitals, and healthcare providers throughout the state to ensure New Mexico is ready to handle any potential cases of Ebola.
“The risk of New Mexicans contracting Ebola is very, very low, but I want to assure everyone that we are taking the necessary steps to prepare for the unlikely event of cases in New Mexico,” said Martinez. “The Department of Health and the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management are monitoring developments very closely, and our Emergency Operation Center can be activated within minutes, if necessary.”

Police Beat items are compiled from public information contained in Los Alamos Police Department Records. Charges or citations listed in Police Beat do not imply innocence or guilt. The Los Alamos Police Department uses the term “arrest” to define anyone who has been physically arrested, serveda court summons, or issued a citation.
Oct. 2

7:30 p.m. — John Craven, 32 arrested through a warrant issued through the Los Alamos District Court. The warrant was for a Jan. 17 larceny (over $2,500, less than $20,000) committed at Todd Loop.

11:12 a.m.— Andrea Herrera, 30, of Chamita was arrested through an order of commitment from the Los Alamos Municipal Court.

1:24 p.m. — Luis Poncechitica, 29, of Medenales was arrested on a charge of proof of financial responsibility on N.M. 4.
Oct. 3
7 p.m. ­— Joey Martinez, 22, of Española was arrested through a warrant issued through the Los Alamos Magistrate Court. The warrant was for a reckless driving on N.M. 502 June 3.

The attitude he came to court with cost him a few points with the judge, but he didn’t seem to mind much. Darren Martinez, the former Los Alamos resident who threatened a neighbor with a shotgun in December of last year, apparently smirked his way through his sentencing Thursday, which didn’t sit too well with Magistrate Court Judge Pat Casados.
For his behavior, Martinez, now a resident of Española, will have to meet with a probation officer in Los Alamos until the probation officer feels he can continue his probation in Española. Casados also tacked on 10 anger management classes to his sentence.
Martinez received a plea deal where he’s agreed to plead guilty to attempted,aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His actual sentence was 365 days in county jail with 365 days suspended. Probation will be for a year, starting with six months supervised followed by six months unsupervised.
According to court documents, on Dec. 10 2013, Martinez, 21, confronted a 13-year-old boy, who was the son of his neighbors. Martinez told him to stay away from his girlfriend, telling him “you don’t want something stupid s--- to happen, right.”

Members of the Los Alamos Police Department, Metzger’s Do It Yourself Hardware, and Chamisa Elementary recently gathered at “The Rock” to deliver a message to the community during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The painting’s theme was ‘Men against domestic violence.’ The event was part of the community’s larger campaign to bring awareness of the issue to Los Alamos residents. From left: LAPD Det. Joey Robinson, LAPD Cmdr. Preston Ballew, LAPD Cpl. Robert Stephens, John Hughes, of Metzger’s Do It Best Hardware, LAPD Officer David Boe, LAPD Police Chief Dino Sgambellone, Chamisa Elementary School Guidance Counselor Michaelangelo Lobato and Sgt. Daniel Roberts.

Apparently, the saying is true, nothing really is sacred anymore.
At least, that’s the conclusion Father Glenn Jones reached Tuesday after learning someone had made off with the total weekend collections for the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, located at 3700 Canyon Drive.
Both checks and cash were stolen, so church attendees are urged to check their bank accounts closely over the next few days.
Jones said that it’s a bit of a mystery how the alleged thief or thieves entered the building. All six entrances to the building, as well as the entrance to the office where the safe was kept, did not appear damaged.
The safe however, is totally destroyed. It appeared the thieves used some sort of tool, perhaps a crowbar, to pop the hinges off to get what was inside.
“We didn’t see any marks around the place, so we don’t know how they got in,” Jones said.
Jones suspected some sort of bump key or lock picking kit was used. He’s currently consulting with a locksmith to get all the locks updated and changed.
If there’s a bright spot in all this, Jones said, it’s that it appears only money was taken. All altar items used to conduct services as well as other items of value seem to be still in the church. from this past Saturday and Sunday, checks and cash.

Central Avenue Improvements Project:
Oppenheimer north (library driveway) is scheduled to be paved Tuesday and Wednesday.
Once this paving is complete, the library driveway and west parking lot will be opened for traffic.
Once the library driveway is open, likely around 6:30 - 7 p.m. Wednesday, the contractor will close Bathtub Row at Central AND Central from just east of Oppenheimer to 20th Street. During this closure, access to Bathtub Row will be from Peach Street. (Directions starting from westbound Central: right at 15th, left at Nectar which turns into Peach Street, then left onto Bathtub Row. Directions starting from eastbound Canyon: left at Rose, left at Peach, and a quick right onto Bathtub Row). This closure will remain in place for approximately two weeks.
Paving Central between Oppenheimer and 20th Street, including the Bathtub Row intersection, is scheduled for Thursday and Friday.
Once the paving is complete the contractor will continue with concrete work within the closure.
Once Bathtub Row is open, the library driveway will need to close one more time to complete remaining concrete work.